Your Holiday IT Coverage Plan: Who’s on Call and What They Need to Know

The holidays are one of the few times when most offices slow down. Reduced staffing, remote work, and limited vendor availability can quickly turn small IT issues into costly downtime.

A clear, written coverage plan keeps operations steady and outline who’s on call, how to escalate problems, and which vendors can step in when support is limited. It doesn’t have to be complex; it just needs to be accessible, shared, and ready before your team signs off for the holidays.

1. Define Your On-Call Contacts

Start by identifying who’s responsible for IT coverage during the break. That may include internal staff, a managed service provider (MSP), or both.

Include:

• Primary and secondary contacts for critical systems (network, email, servers, backups).
• Contact details for each: phone, email, and any after-hours numbers.
• Clear time windows or days of responsibility for each person.

Tip: Make sure the list is stored somewhere accessible to everyone who might need it in both digital and printed formats.

2. Document Escalation Steps

If a problem arises, who decides when to escalate? Create a short step-by-step process for the most common incidents:

• Internet outage or network disruption.
• Server or system access issues.
• Backup or data restore failures.
• Security alerts or suspected phishing incidents.

Keep the process short.  It should clearly show when to involve the MSP, when to contact a vendor, and when to alert leadership.

3. Confirm Vendor Support and Emergency Procedures

Many vendors and MSPs adjust their support hours over the holidays. Check those details before your team starts time off.

Review:

• Vendor holiday hours and emergency response policies.
• How to open a high-priority ticket after hours.
• Whether your contracts include 24/7 or holiday coverage.

4. Test Remote Access Before It’s Needed

Remote access is often critical for staff working from home or for the person covering IT support during the break. Don’t wait until the holidays to find out something isn’t working.

Test and verify:

• VPN connections and MFA logins.
• Access to shared drives, servers, or cloud applications.
• Device permissions and password resets.

Even small updates or security changes can block access unexpectedly. A five-minute test can prevent a full day of troubleshooting later.

5. Share and Review the Plan

Distribute the coverage plan to anyone who may need it including management, IT, and key department leads. Confirm everyone understands their role and how to reach help if something goes wrong.  Encourage CEOs and leadership to keep a copy of the IT coverage plan with their business continuity documents or leadership binders.

Schedule a quick review call before the holidays to confirm:

• Contact information is current.
• Escalation steps are clear.
• Backup coverage is confirmed.

Horizon TotalCare helps businesses across Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta stay covered year-round. If your business runs with limited IT support during the holidays, we can help fill the gaps with 24/7 monitoring and rapid response.